Universal United Kingdom Resort, set to be one of Europe’s largest and most ambitious theme parks, has officially been granted planning permission by the UK government, allowing construction to begin as soon as 2026.
It would be Universal’s first park in Europe, which currently only operates parks in the US and Asia.
The last Universal Studios to open was in Beijing in 2021.
Which films and characters will be at Universal UK?
Rumours of unique, UK-specific themes have been spreading since the park’s plans were initially released in April, with James Bond, Paddington, and Lord of the Rings all making the potential roster.
Back to the Future, Jurassic Park, and Minions are some themes also seen in current plans, though Universal has said it is “too early” to confirm any specifics.
Only Harry Potter is confirmed not to be featured, as this is a main theme at the Warner Bros Studio Tour, located just 30 miles south of the Bedford site.
Europe’s largest theme park
The site, 3 miles south of Bedford town, is planned to span 476 acres, though the entire project could reach as big as 700 acres.
For comparison, Disneyland Paris is only 130 acres.
Along with the park’s impressive size, proposals include the tallest ride in Europe, with a 115m structure featuring in current plans – this would also be Universal’s tallest ride worldwide.
Universal has said the park could bring in 12 million visitors by 2050, which would make it Europe’s most visited park, beating out Disneyland’s current attendance of 10 million.
In its opening year, the expected 8.5 million visitors would already make Universal Studios the UK’s most popular park by far.
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‘Landmark moment for Bedford’
Up to 20,000 jobs during construction, as well as 8,000 jobs once operational, are set to be created thanks to the theme park.
The Universal park project is estimated to contribute £50 billion to the local economy, which Labour MP for Bedford and Kempston Mohammad Yasin described as a “landmark moment for Bedford and the wider region”.
The site in Bedford was chosen for its excellent transport links, with the park set to be served by not one but two train stations.
Wixams railway station, upgrades for which were already underway, will now be even larger to accommodate the park, and an entirely new station on the East West Rail line will be built inside the park itself.
Nearby Luton airport is also being upgraded and expanded, almost doubling its capacity.
With construction set to begin as early as 2026, more specific details on Universal’s UK resort can be expected to be released in the coming months.
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KC Maderia 
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John Christopher Aquino